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Sustainability

Broiler Chicken Project

Wednesday, April 5th, 2023

Broiler Chicken Project

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release

The Molokai community has a new opportunity to increase local poultry production, boost our island’s economy, and support farmers and ranchers in their business goals. Sustʻainable Molokai is looking for 30 beginning Native farmers/ranchers on Molokai for our Mahiʻai Moa Project! This project is a five-month educational program on commercial broiler chicken production utilizing a blend of in-person and Zoom classes. 

Participants will have access to workshops with J. Ludovico Farm, workshops with the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), off-island field trips, one-on-one farm business support with a Farm Business Specialist, a built-in market for broiler bird sales, a cohort-style model that encourages farmer-to-farmer support, and $4,000 worth of supplies to get your chicken business up and running. …

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Local Farmer Launches Chicken Feed Experiment

Wednesday, March 8th, 2023

Local Farmer Launches Chicken Feed Experiment

By Paul Hanley, Community Reporter

Molokai is experiencing a population explosion—of laying hens. Sust’ainable Molokai’s Poultry Egg Education Project (PEEP) has already helped 35 Molokai ‘ohana get into egg production, for their own use and for sale through the Mobile Market. 

While this is a significant gain for local food self-reliance, Molokai producers are still dependent on imported chicken feed. To be truly self-sufficient, the feed will have to be produced here as well, and Molokai farmer Ehiku Arnold may have a solution. He has launched an experiment to see if laying hens can survive and thrive on feed he produces on his farm. …

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Soil Health Workshops

Wednesday, February 8th, 2023

UH CTAHR News Release

Our UH CTAHR Molokai Cooperative Extension Service staff will teach about the importance of soil health and innovative ways to increase the health of soil in a Soil Health Workshop series starting this week. UH CTAHR Molokai Cooperative Extension Service is offering the workshops in partnership with Sustainable Molokai. 

The workshop dates are Thursdays Feb. 9, Feb. 23 and March 9.  Each will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at Lanikeha Community Center.  This series will include presentations, demonstrations and will have an interactive component.  Participants are encouraged to attend all three workshops as this is a progressive series, meaning each one will build upon the lessons learned the week before.  The…

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E-Bike Business Debuts

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

E-Bike Business Debuts

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter 

Molokai has its first electric bike rental business, recently launched by Glenn Poller. 

Through Molokai E-Bike Rental, Poller is currently renting out five e-bikes. Electric bikes use a small battery-powered motor to assist when pedaling. Riders can choose between pedaling with engine assistance or just using the throttle, depending on how reliant they want to be on the bike’s 750-watt electric engine. 

Poller’s bikes are loaded up with puncture resistant tires, shock absorbers and lights, and come with a helmet, rear storage bags and lock. The e-bikes cover a range of 60-80 miles and top out at about 25 mph, he said. …

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Data Science to Help Revitalize Fishponds

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

Purple Mai’a News Release 

Three local organizations — Purple Maiʻa Foundation, Kuaʻaina Ulu ʻAuamo, and Hohonu, Inc. — are launching the Loko Iʻa and Coastal Monitoring Project that will kokua up to 30 Hawaiian Fishpond restoration groups across the state. The project engages local communities in the design process and will work with them to gather insights on the biggest barriers to fishpond restoration for food production.

Hawaii’s fishpond practitioners, coastal communities and local government will have access to real-time environmental data that will support biocultural restoration, climate change monitoring, resilience planning and mitigation. In addition to providing operational support, the sensor and data tools deployed can serve a broad audience for educational outreach and workforce development activities.…

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Building Relationships for a Brighter Future

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Building Relationships for a Brighter Future

By Sage Yamashita, Intern Reporter

Last Saturday, community event Lā Pilina created relationships between community and local organizations’ planning efforts for Molokai. Sust’ainable Molokai hosted the event creating interconnection and rapport, as the meaning of Lā Pilina is relationships. Held at Mitchell Pauole Center, residents engaged in learning about future planning, ongoing efforts and how to live a more sustainable life.

“Growing up on this island, relationships are important,” said Tehani Kaalekahi, executive director of Sust’ainable Molokai. “Culturally it’s part of our kuleana, our responsibility to create these relationships. In many of the things we do here, it’s the relationships we build that helps us get to the end goal.”…

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Why Save Seeds?

Friday, November 4th, 2022

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UHCTAHR

Our tropical climate on Molokai is unique compared to other parts of the U.S. and Europe, where most of our seeds originate. The warm nights in the tropics are brutal for many varieties developed outside of the tropics. What may grow well in those areas may not grow well here so we need to find varieties that grow well here, or we need to develop them. Tropically adapted seeds are difficult to access, such as those from Southeast Asia, South China and the Philippines. Seeds from Africa, India and South America are even more difficult to access.  …

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Ka‘auwai ‘Ohana Aim for Food Security

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

Ka‘auwai ‘Ohana Aim for Food Security

By Paul Hanley | Community Reporter

“Our goal is to help increase our family’s and our island’s food security by inspiring others to start growing more of their own food,” says Fina Ka’auwai. Fina and her husband Wayne, who grew up living and working on farms on Molokai, are slowly increasing food production for their family of six on their one-acre plot in Ho’olehua.

In addition to hunting, fishing, and growing traditional crops, they have expanded into chickens, aquaculture, and “rainbow” fruits and vegetables. Part of their formula for success has been diversifying their diet. Their lush gardens are bursting with variety.…

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Molokai Decides Its Own Energy Future

Wednesday, September 14th, 2022

Molokai Decides Its Own Energy Future

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Something electrifying is happening on Molokai. The community is taking charge of its own energy destiny. 

Molokai residents have long been known for choosing their own path. Now, another important process of self-determination is taking place: Residents are taking the lead to develop a plan that could save you money, make Molokai’s electric grid self-sufficient and independent of outside resources, create local jobs and better prepare the island for emergencies. 

When you picture how you get your electricity in 10 years, what do you envision? With ever-rising power bills causing increasing hardship for many Molokai families, cost is likely a top priority for everyone.…

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Planning for Energy Resilience

Thursday, September 8th, 2022

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

A Molokai-initiated energy plan is forming that would increase the island’s renewable energy, sustainable emergency preparedness capabilities and strengthen infrastructure. Facilitated by Sust’ainable Molokai’s Clean Energy Hui, the Molokai Community Energy Resilience Action Plan (CERAP) has launched the planning process, identified priorities and begun looking at implementation and funding options. 

“Because Molokai doesn’t have much of an emergency plan, we’re all dependent on imported diesel so this is a priority for hardening our emergency response,” said Leilani Chow, Coordinator for the Clean Energy Hui. “Our number one priority was our water pumps. If we don’t get more diesel, we have seven days’ worth stored on island, and once the electricity stops, we only have seven days’ worth of water stored in the tanks.…

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